Hi, my name is Navya. I live in Lexington MA and I am going into 10th grade. I love playing basketball and soccer. My favorite subjects are math and science.
Algal Biofuel
Most of the energy consumed by humans are from nonrenewable sources of energy, and at the rate, humans have been exhausting these fuels the earth will soon run out of its non-renewable sources. Scientists are now turning to other methods to solve the problems of fuel consumption. The two most common 1st generation biofuels are bioethanol from starch or sugar crops and biodiesel from oil-rich plants. As these fuels are primarily derived from crops which may also be used a food for plants and animals. One solution is the use of algal biodiesel to slowly replace the use of fossil fuels. Algal biofuel is an alternative to liquid fuel that uses algae as its source of energy-rich oils.
Uses of Biofuels
An alternative and cleaner energy source
To power vehicles, cooking, heating homes, and for power production
A replacement for fossil fuels for home and transportation purposes
A substitute for toxic products used for paint removal
For home heating oil domestic boilers
Image result for biofuels
The majority of the algae convert sunlight into energy in a similar manner as plants. However, the genetic diversity of the many different kinds of algae gives researchers an incredible number of unique properties that can be harnessed to develop promising algal biofuel technologies. The reason that algae are a great substance for a renewable source of energy is that it produces a large amount of biomass and can be grown is a given area. Some researchers claim that algae are between 10-100 times more productive than the traditional sources or bioenergy. Algal biofuel has the potential for being sustainable and promising at affordable prices. When the biofuel is harvested it can be used directly to fuel cars, trucks, trains, and planes.
Image result for algal biofuel
History of algal biofuel: The idea of using algae for energy began in the early 1950s. From 1980 to 1996 the US Department of Energy supported the Aquatic Species Program (ASP), a relatively small effort (about $25 million over almost 20 years) with the specific goal of producing oil from microalgae. A significant amount of the research done on algae is conducted here, in the United States. The United States government has been investing billions in this new industry in order to solve the fuel crisis. However, other countries are also taking charge in order to get ahead in the algae fuel industry.
The Process
Algae is de-watered from its nutrients
Hydrothermal liquefaction
The solid precipitate separation for clean bio-oil production and phosphate which is then recycled back
Then there is the separation of the oil and water
The oil hydrometer then produces hydrocarbon which then turns into diesel or gasoline
The carbon is catalytically converted into fuel gas and nutrients recycled (N, K and some Co2
Simplified process
1. After initial growth, the algae are deprived of its nutrients in order to produce a greater growth yield 2. The extraction of oil- the screw press produces 70-75% of the oils from the plant 3. Solvents are used to separate the sugar from the oil; the solvents evaporate 4. The oil can be directly used in diesel engines or refined into further fuel.
Advantages: The algae do not require arable land for cultivation, as a result algae cultivation does not need to compete with agricultural crops for growing space. In addition, the water used in algae cultivation can be freshwater or saline, and the salt concentration up to twice that of seawater. This means the algae cultivation would not help in the depletion of freshwater. When the production of algae fuel is complete the idea is that they will be available at an affordable price. Additionally, the algae require carbon dioxide in order to grow so they would help in the decrease of co2 levels. The algal biofuel can be used as a raw material to fuel machines so it would not require additional processing.
Recent Algal biofuel projects
Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency
Funded $69 million in 2009 for the development of drop-in JP-8 jet fuel surrogate from algal and terrestrial feedstocks.
Air Force Office of Scientific Research-
Partnered with NREL for Workshop on Algal Oil for Jet Fuel Production in 2008. Development of an algal bio-jet fuel program.
DOE Small Business Research
Awarded grant to Community Fuels on Efficient Processing of Algal Bio-Oils for Biodiesel Production in 2007.
DOE Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy
Has awarded more than $25 million on research to convert macro- and micro algae into biofuels.
Algal Biofuel
Most of the energy consumed by humans are from nonrenewable sources of energy, and at the rate, humans have been exhausting these fuels the earth will soon run out of its non-renewable sources. Scientists are now turning to other methods to solve the problems of fuel consumption. The two most common 1st generation biofuels are bioethanol from starch or sugar crops and biodiesel from oil-rich plants. As these fuels are primarily derived from crops which may also be used a food for plants and animals. One solution is the use of algal biodiesel to slowly replace the use of fossil fuels. Algal biofuel is an alternative to liquid fuel that uses algae as its source of energy-rich oils.
Uses of Biofuels
The majority of the algae convert sunlight into energy in a similar manner as plants. However, the genetic diversity of the many different kinds of algae gives researchers an incredible number of unique properties that can be harnessed to develop promising algal biofuel technologies. The reason that algae are a great substance for a renewable source of energy is that it produces a large amount of biomass and can be grown is a given area. Some researchers claim that algae are between 10-100 times more productive than the traditional sources or bioenergy. Algal biofuel has the potential for being sustainable and promising at affordable prices. When the biofuel is harvested it can be used directly to fuel cars, trucks, trains, and planes.
History of algal biofuel:
The idea of using algae for energy began in the early 1950s. From 1980 to 1996 the US Department of Energy supported the Aquatic Species Program (ASP), a relatively small effort (about $25 million over almost 20 years) with the specific goal of producing oil from microalgae. A significant amount of the research done on algae is conducted here, in the United States. The United States government has been investing billions in this new industry in order to solve the fuel crisis. However, other countries are also taking charge in order to get ahead in the algae fuel industry.
The Process
Simplified process
1. After initial growth, the algae are deprived of its nutrients in order to produce a greater growth yield
2. The extraction of oil- the screw press produces 70-75% of the oils from the plant
3. Solvents are used to separate the sugar from the oil; the solvents evaporate
4. The oil can be directly used in diesel engines or refined into further fuel.
Advantages:
The algae do not require arable land for cultivation, as a result algae cultivation does not need to compete with agricultural crops for growing space. In addition, the water used in algae cultivation can be freshwater or saline, and the salt concentration up to twice that of seawater. This means the algae cultivation would not help in the depletion of freshwater. When the production of algae fuel is complete the idea is that they will be available at an affordable price. Additionally, the algae require carbon dioxide in order to grow so they would help in the decrease of co2 levels. The algal biofuel can be used as a raw material to fuel machines so it would not require additional processing.
Recent Algal biofuel projects
- Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency
- Funded $69 million in 2009 for the development of drop-in JP-8 jet fuel surrogate from algal and terrestrial feedstocks.
- Air Force Office of Scientific Research-
- Partnered with NREL for Workshop on Algal Oil for Jet Fuel Production in 2008. Development of an algal bio-jet fuel program.
- DOE Small Business Research
- Awarded grant to Community Fuels on Efficient Processing of Algal Bio-Oils for Biodiesel Production in 2007.
- DOE Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy
- Has awarded more than $25 million on research to convert macro- and micro algae into biofuels.
- DOE Office of Science
- Center for Advanced Biofuel Systems
My presentation:https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1On9FM5rIgN7m-rYu3aTgq2QbXHfUxT9gDqJxYztMtrI/edit?usp=sharing
https://energy.gov/sites/prod/files/2016/06/f33/national_algal_biofuels_technology_review.pdf
https://www.energy.gov/eere/bioenergy/algal-biofuels
https://energy.gov/eere/articles/making-algal-biofuel-production-more-efficient-less-expensive
https://phys.org/news/2017-03-multilab-toughest-strains-algae-biofuel.html
http://www.bioenergywiki.net/List_of_bioenergy_technologies
https://www.energy.gov/eere/bioenergy/algal-biofuels
https://www.studentenergy.org/topics/biofuels?gclid=CNq8-ced4dQCFc-LswodPv0APQ